BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO A SACRED PLACE
Event center Casa Sagrada is now open in the former Emmanuel Baptist Church property
When Loveland residents Datta Groover and Rachael Jayne purchased the former Emmanuel Baptist Church on East Third Street in 2022, it was crumbling on the inside and out. But after months of hard work and creative solutions, the couple have transformed the deteriorating structure into Casa Sagrada, a boutique event center that seamlessly blends the church’s rich history with elegant modern touches.
“We wanted something spectacular,” Jayne said during a tour of the new space. “… Everything we did turned out just a little better than we imagined.”
Groover and Jayne moved to Northern Colorado 15 years ago, after determining it was friendlier than most of the other places they had considered.
Together, the two founded and run the Awakened School, which offers programs, workshops and seminars for people who are looking for a more mindful path to success, Jayne said.
“The Awakened School is live experiences, live events, trainings and retreats for people who are looking for an elevated conversation on human potential,” she said.
At least part of the impetus behind Casa Sagrada was the school’s need for expanded meeting space and ability to house out of town speakers and other guests, the couple explained. After years of searching, the former church building on the edge of downtown Loveland checked several of the couple’s boxes, its proximity to lodging in particular.
“That was part of our strategy,” Groover said. “It’s so close to the Marriott, it’s an easy walk over from there, so it’s easy for people to have large events.”
The name “Casa Sagrada” is both a nod to the Spanish-influenced design of the space and the building’s original purpose. But even before she and Groover purchased the property, the word “sagrada” had always resonated with Jayne.
“It’s such a beautiful word,” she said. “It means ‘sacred’ in Spanish, so when we bought a church, Casa Sagrada or sacred house just came to us.”
Originally constructed in 1920, the 7,400-square-foot building can accommodate large gatherings, such as weddings or concerts, as well as more intimate events, such as retreats, presentations or seminars
Its main feature is the converted sanctuary on the main level, which serves as a spacious gathering room. With a lush velvet drape as a backdrop, the open but inviting space boasts vaulted wood beams, chandeliers and original stained glass windows.
The room is also wired with state of the art audio and visual equipment, a must-have for Jayne and Groover, both former musicians and self-described “sound snobs.”
The lower level of Casa Sagrada houses smaller rooms, plus a full kitchen. Upstairs, there is a complete bridal suite and, next door, there is room for up to six guests in the 1,000-square-foot cottage that used to be the pastor’s home.
The center is full of sumptuous touches that give it the feel of an old Spanish church, including richly colored arched and wall coverings, arched doorways and sturdy wooden furniture that Jayne sourced exclusively from Facebook Marketplace, a process that took seven months. Otherwise, almost everything was sourced from local crafters, artists or designers, Jayne said.
The couple is still putting the finishing touches on a few of Casa Sagrada’s amenities, such as the spacious patio that will allow outdoor events starting in the summer.
Though thrilled with the end product, Groover and Jayne spoke ruefully of the process it took to build Casa Sagrada. Construction formally began in January 2023, and it wasn’t long before there were unpleasant surprises from the contractor and financial issues driven by rising interest rates.
“It was a mess,” Groover said. “But it’s kind of like that with projects like this, especially
when it’s an old building.”
The project received around $450,000 in funding assistance from the Loveland Downtown Development Authority, or about half of the projected incremental taxes from the property. The money helped pay for facade restoration and asbestos abatement.
The DDA also gave the project a $25,000 grant for a fire suppression system for the center.
“We were very eager to help the building, after taking a tour with them and seeing the conditions of it,” said Sean Hawkins, executive director of the DDA. “But the retrofit an old church is not an easy equation to do. …I’m just glad we were able to help them preserve this building.”
The project also received financial support from several students of the Awakened School, who were honored in the naming of meeting rooms and named founding members of Casa Sagrada.
The center held its formal grand opening last Friday, and has a calendar full of events coming up, in addition to courses and seminars for the Awakened School.
For information about the center, visit theawakenedschool.com/casa-sagrada